County GOP leaders expect Astorino to run

With Rob Astorino soon expected to announce his political intentions, several prominent Republican county leaders said Sunday they fully expect the Westchester County executive to challenge Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Astorino, a Republican who has been courting support over the past few months for a potential gubernatorial run, has said he decided to run for governor this year.

On Sunday, a handful of GOP leaders said they anticipate Astorino will officially become a candidate within days.

"I think it's all going to start to roll out this week, and we're excited about this," said Doug Colety, the Westchester County GOP chairman. "We definitely think we can win this."

Astorino has traveled the state since he was re-elected in November and has met with several county-level party leaders in recent days.